Different results - heres why

More observations; A rough estimate of my hunt terrain is. >90% open rolling cropland, the other small percentage is timber patchs, grassy creeks, a few hay fields & grassy sloughs/waterways/draws...whatever you wish to call them.

Around 90% of the days, I hunt. Which BTW is generally 4 or more days a wk. The coyotes are either in this cover. Or working their way back to this cover, early am. From the previous nights hunt or movement.

If a caller wish's to call these coyotes. You have to get yourself set-up adjacent to this cover. As the coyotes are extremely reluctant to cross the open areas to your call noise.

If I recall, I've only called out 14 coyotes. Out of around 300 stands give or take. Majority of these coyotes were in or traveling from cover to cover across some small open areas.

Yeah, I've called a few out of those 14. That came out of & away from cover. But none ever came very close to where I was, except one. That one came relatively close. As I was set-up in a large span of cover[sparse timber/CRP & timbered/brushy creek bottom] that day. That day, I was perched up high on a knee high hillside of CRP grass. Above the creek bottom. But, below the horizen.

Fortunately for me, in my hunt area. I have so much openess of the terrain. Which allows me most often. To see them from afar[specifically in Winter snow cover]. Even sometimes when they are in the timber patchs/strips, grassy creeks, ect. I can still pick them out. I simply zoom-in & scan the down-wind[wind break] areas, of that cover.

When they are bedded in this "cover". They are in the lower/down-wind portion of this cover. Why? I believe it offers them the most wind break.
 
My hunt area has large steep rolling crop hills. Also small/low rolling hills. Pic is facing almost due West/slightly SouWest maybe 5-10 degrees. Coyote is near the 1/2 mile fenceline of a 1-square mile land mass/section.

This long range coyote pic also dipicts. How they lay when bedded. Doesn't matter if the terrain is steep with cover. Steep with no cover. Or flattish & open. They lay the same...samo...samo.

BTW, coyote is hunkered down in the snow, between the picked corn rows[Wind is bearing down on his right shoulder & backside]. When they bed on snow. They'll make a few tight spins tamping down the loose snow, then bed down. Facing a down winderly direction.

One main difference between my hunt area vs other's. Is amount of cover. Most canine predators I see, are the ones that bed out in the open.


http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/moreammo/Jan25094-Reds2-coyotes014.jpg?t=1248355110

Zoomed up.
http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/moreammo/Jan25094-Reds2-coyotes016.jpg?t=1248355817





 
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4949shooter, I'm sure if your area lacked vegetation. You would see the same. I've seen/watched probably close to 2000 coyotes & Red Fox over my hunting days. Can't recall a time, when I've seen them do any different.

I'm so accustomed to seeing them bed & where to look & why. It's pretty much second nature in spotting them. I still make a few mistakes on long range I.D'ing But they are few. As once in awhile vegetation, small boulders, tree stumps ect. Look just like a coyote or Red Fox.

My whole purpose in responding to this thread. Is to educate hunters that hunt heavy cover. The way of the coyote & Red Fox. When they are bedded, where & why.

If you understand how they use the wind, terrain & where their comfort area is. When they are bedded. Your chances of not getting busted on the walk in to call, no doubt will decrease. Et offer a better hunt.
 
Sleddog, when you said "lazy" you nailed me. I have always hunted by walking to my stands. Then my friends got atvs, I was odd man out. Got a machine and rode back in, started seeing less game within the same time frame as when walking in. Sure I parked the atv 200 yards, then 100 yds, then close enough to see. I got lazy!! Sold the atv and now I'll be back to hunting the way I use to. This is the way for me, not saying this is the way for anyone else. I'm now 62 and need the exercise. The places I hunt are thick and I'm not carring a climbing stand for stands that take all I have to get up hill, I can sit still! When you guys talk about seeing coyotes bedded down or coming in from hundreds of yards away, that is cool. My area here in Pa. they are in your face and gone so fast I sometimes beleive it is just illusions.
 
Originally Posted By: kirby4949shooter, I'm sure if your area lacked vegetation. You would see the same. I've seen/watched probably close to 2000 coyotes & Red Fox over my hunting days. Can't recall a time, when I've seen them do any different.

I'm so accustomed to seeing them bed & where to look & why. It's pretty much second nature in spotting them. I still make a few mistakes on long range I.D'ing But they are few. As once in awhile vegetation, small boulders, tree stumps ect. Look just like a coyote or Red Fox.

My whole purpose in responding to this thread. Is to educate hunters that hunt heavy cover. The way of the coyote & Red Fox. When they are bedded, where & why.

If you understand how they use the wind, terrain & where their comfort area is. When they are bedded. Your chances of not getting busted on the walk in to call, no doubt will decrease. Et offer a better hunt.
I understood why you were posting kirby, and I do appreciate it.

Terrain and hunting differ here in NJ and PA. There is much more thick cover and hardwoods, and rarely do the coyotes venture out in the open fields unless it is at night.

Your pics are excellent, and certainly serve the purpose you have intended.
cool.gif
 
4949shooter, I'll bore you with one more long range pic of a balled-up coyote & an explanation. Pic is facing due North. Wind stout & bitter cold from the North-NorWest.

Coyote is that dark spot just to the right of the lower set of hay bales. This coyote didn't hear my truck on the gravel road, et kept his head tucked into his hind quarters. Coyote is around 5/8 mile out. Sorry pic is abit blurred from the wind buffeting my truck.

Point being, even though I knew where this coyote is/was. Had I stalked in on him from his Southerly[down-wind direction]. There still was a good chance of him hearing me, or just raising his head to pan around & seeing me.

I suspect they lay/bed the way they do for various reasons. But regardless, the fronts of their ears. Are pretty well protected from wind interference/muting. Et can hear down-wind very well. As they tend to lay in a dead air space position to the wind.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/moreammo/Jan24093-Reds6-coyotes009.jpg?t=1248375054
 
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Kirby what if you put the hay bale in between you and the coyote and sneak in on the down wind side,but I dont know like you said he may hear you....Is that snow just about always crusty out there where you are....Great posts Kirby...Thanks!!!!Chad
 
Originally Posted By: kirby4949shooter, I'll bore you with one more long range pic of a balled-up coyote & an explanation. Pic is facing due North. Wind stout & bitter cold from the North-NorWest.

Coyote is that dark spot just to the right of the lower set of hay bales. This coyote didn't hear my truck on the gravel road, et kept his head tucked into his hind quarters. Coyote is around 5/8 mile out. Sorry pic is abit blurred from the wind buffeting my truck.

Point being, even though I knew where this coyote is/was. Had I stalked in on him from his Southerly[down-wind direction]. There still was a good chance of him hearing me, or just raising his head to pan around & seeing me.

I suspect they lay/bed the way they do for various reasons. But regardless, the fronts of their ears. Are pretty well protected from wind interference/muting. Et can hear down-wind very well. As they tend to lay in a dead air space position to the wind.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/moreammo/Jan24093-Reds6-coyotes009.jpg?t=1248375054
I see what you mean. Chad had a good suggestion with the hay bale.

So how do you get these bad boys? Do you break out the Weatherby magnum like Randy Anderson did in one of his videos?
 
Snow is most often crusty loud. Especially in January or later. It's rarely fluffy quiet, except generally in December for example.

I triangulate their coordinance. Then I come in quartering, crosswind or even quartering their up-wind to them. Often coming in blindly/[I can't see them during the stalk]. I still know where they are up ahead. Even though their not in sight, because of the hills. As I know their coordinance. I use the hills to conceal my carcass. I use the wind to carry my scent & my stalk in noise parallel to them. Or down-wind from them.

Even doing that. They are often looking my way, as I crawl to the top of the last hill, before them.

As for those hay bales. The coyote still would've heard me & no doubt went into alert. Unless the snow would've been quiet fluff. Then I could've got right up on him.

I practice long range shooting, for loud snowy days.
 
Coyotes in my area, most often are not hard pressed for food or territory. Coyotes in the open won't come close, while calling them into the open hills.

Mostly over the last 5-6yrs, I've been shooting long. 2-600yrds give or take. I do alright.

I'm an experienced stalker/[45 seasons] worth. On a loud day, I play heck getting closer than a 1/4 mile. But when the wind is over 20 mph, I stand a better chance of getting close on loud groundcover. Some hunters don't think their hearing is all that much. I would never agree with that assumption. They've impressed & humbled me many times.

I'll bet more guys are busted from their noise or from being seen. Than anyone might ever figure. As they walk to their stand.

After I spot one & make my plan to enter the same section.
I'm extremely quiet & move slowly & methodically. Still many coyotes have pegged me from afar. Making only the slightest of a snap, or a faint crunch. Their hearing is impressive.

I've called a few from cover out on the open hills. But they either lope wide way out there panning my way. Or hang up 1/4 mile away, staring. I've also had a few that were just indifferent. Or lost interest.
 
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Kirby gives his coyotes way too much credit.LOL

You can use a haybale for cover or even a lone tree put between the hunter and coyote or a small rise. I like to use the wind or traffic to help hide my sound walking in or may even use a human decoy to keep the coyotes attension while i walk in.. And on some days you may have very little cover so i just walk straight in on the coyote with gun at my side and hands down and looking down also no eye to eye contact. The coyote presents the best target when its on its feet so take a couple of range shots before going in and be ready when it gets up..Also when walking in straight away try to have it so if the coyote gets up and trys to run it don't have any immediate cover to duck into or low depressions. And like some mentioned a hunter could go straight to the closest high ground and snipe em..
 
Wind or sound to hide your noise? Do you not think a coyote can tell the difference between "near vs far away"? BTW, I've tried what you refer to. Works better on Red Fox, rather than coyote.

A few yrs back, there was a large gray nomad coyote. That kept laying on a pr's territory. This coyote, never laid his head down, that I ever witnessed. Always on alert, head up panning 360. I seen him 4x over a wks span. Coyote kept laying in almost the same exact spot on a hillside. Coyote panned around often, looking behind[upwind] of where he laid.

I tried 3 or 4x? stalking in on him. I quartered into a stout 20 mph wind on those days. Coyote busted me every time about a 1/4 mile away. Coyote never seen me, but knew something cometh his way. He was sitting up ready to bolt. As I slowly crawled to the top of the last hill to get a long shot on him.

Last stalk, I was already prone & ready to made a quick shot. I grazed his shoulder as he turned to bolt. Never seen him again. Yeah, noise... The farm I parked at & walked/crawled from, to this coyote was in a straight line. from this coyote. Farm was loud with machinery & a corn dryer making background noise.

Coyote heard my footsteps crack a few frozen bean stubbles. A 1/4 mile from him, while I was nearing the top of the hill that separated us. Coyote was eyeing me, as I crawled to the hilltop for a shot. I was on my belly.

A hunter might be able to use loud background noise on a yearling. An old dog, he'll play heck getting close.

Red Fox, don't hold a candle to hearing a hunters noise compared to a coyote. A Red will often go back to sleep. Even though he heard the hunter. A coyote on the other hand will be on alert, or gone. He knows your coming.
 
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Here's an example below. Adult Red sleeping in a crosswind from myself[where I took this pic]. As I walked & broke through deep loud crusty snow. To go fetch a coyote I mortally hit the day before.

Red was about 220yrds down the hill from me. He never raised his head. I sounded like a steer walking on peanut brittle on the way in. Reds, not much challenge to easy.

Yeah Red's have excellent hearing. They just don't tend to be as alert[or are indifferent] to the noises in their area.

No way in hadies, would a coyote do this. Unless the wind was ripping hard & the hunter was crosswind.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/moreammo/Jan30093-coyotes1-Red044.jpg?t=1248399709
 
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Interesting tactics.definitely shows the differences in coyote bahavior as they relate to terrain. something that you have that most eastern hunters don't is the ability to see them before you call or stalk them . most coyote hunters can only guess how a dog reacts to the noise that we make setting up , or how they react to the sound of someone breaking through crusty snow obviously they'll be put into alert but at what range ?one thing I try to do is get as close to a known bedding area as possible for a set.but with loud conditions sometimes I have to hold alot further back than I would like to , wich leads to another problem . trying to trick them further from their comfort zone.either they get bumped or they're reluctant to travel to the call.
 
swampwalker, yrs ago laying prone on a hilltop. With a bedded coyote in my crosshairs. Rather than shooting right away. I would lay there watching their behaviors to distant noises.

I've watched their "ear" or ears quickly rotate towards a sudden distant noise. Or an odd noise that wasn't the norm. If the noise peaked their interest. They would raise their head for a look. Both ears pointing towards the noise. Slightly pivoting in & out, as if trying to triangulate it's distance[IMO anyway].

If what they seen or could'nt see, further peaked their interest. They would then sit up & stare towards that noise. When they would go into alert, they would stretch out their neck[as if to see more clearer]. Then following the neck stretch.

The next reaction would be. They would either bolt hard & quick, or get up & leave in the opposite direction, often looking back towards the noise.
 
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Folks, this thread alone is worth the price of admission. This info is better than you'd read in a book. There's nothing like listening to the voice of experience.

Kirby, I appreciate the insight and the pictures. I would make a joke about you being in the right place at the right time, but those pictures come from putting knowledge to use over the years and knowing where and what to look for.

Sleddog, your lazy point hit home. I tend to park the truck closer than I should. I've found the last few times I went out this winter and called places that I had to walk in more than 200 yards, that I had more success.
 
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